Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscopic devices are utilized in a variety of applications for sensing inertial motion in one or more dimensions. Such devices are particularly useful in applications demanding a high degree of reliability and accuracy where it may be necessary to measure and/or detect small changes in motion or acceleration, or where size and/or weight are important design considerations. In the design of navigational and communications systems, for example, such devices are useful in measuring and/or detecting slight variations in linear and rotational motion of an object traveling through space. Because such devices can be manufactured using batch semiconductor fabrication techniques, greater tolerances and reliability can be achieved in comparison to more traditional fabrication techniques.
The design of MEMS-type gyroscopes varies greatly depending on their particular purpose. Rate gyroscopes, for example, are often used to determine the rate of rotation of a moving object by generating and measuring Coriolis forces. In a vibratory-type rate gyroscope, for example, a drive system including one or more proof masses can be configured to oscillate back and forth relative to a motor pickoff comb in a drive plane orthogonal to the input axis, or “rate axis,” in which motion is to be determined. The proof masses may each include a number of interdigitated comb fingers configured to move relative to each other when electrostatically charged with a time-varying signal from a drive voltage source. A number of suspension springs or other flexural elements are typically used to constrain motion of each proof mass in a particular direction above an underlying support substrate.
A sense electrode or other sensing means disposed on the substrate adjacent to and parallel with each proof mass can be charged with a sense bias voltage. As each proof mass moves back and forth above the substrate, the Coriolis force resulting from conservation of momentum of the moving body as it rotates about the input axis causes the spacing between each proof mass and sense electrode to vary, resulting in a concomitant change in capacitance. By measuring the capacitance between the proof mass and sense electrodes, a measure of the rotational motion and/or acceleration of the moving body can be ascertained.
MEMS gyroscopes are often utilized in harsh mechanical environments that can degrade their performance. In some navigational applications, for example, such devices may be used as part of an inertial sensor to sense and measure rotation of an aircraft, missile, or other moving object in which environmental factors such as vibration and/or shock are often present. An example of such vibration and/or shock may result, for example, from the deployment of the canards used in some aircraft or missiles for stabilization, which can cause a momentary shock that temporarily affects the sensor output. Where relatively significant external vibration is present, the charge amplifier used by some inertial sensors to measure rate can become overwhelmed due to the relatively large sensor output, causing the amplifier to temporarily clip and output a null rate signal. In other cases, the vibration or shock within the environment may cause the inertial sensor to output a saturated signal that inaccurately reflects the true rotation of the sensor. Because many conventional inertial sensing devices are unable to adaptively compensate for these vibrations or shocks within the environment, the ability of these devices to accurately detect and measure subtle changes in motion or acceleration may be compromised in some circumstances.